Sanitary toothbrush



March 4, 1941.

M. O. BURKE SANITARY TOOTHBRUSH f Filed June 28. 1958 Patented Mar 4, 1941 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Madison Otey Burke, Richmond, Va.

Application June 28, 1938, Serial No. 216,407

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in toilet articles and pertainsparticularly to an improved tooth cleaning device or brush and gummassager.

The present invention has for its primary object to provide a .toothbrush or cleaner having a removable or detachable cleaning unit of adiscardable nature which may be destroyed after cleansing the teeth sothat by the provision of a number of these cleaner heads or caps theuser of the toothbrush may be assured of a .clean and sanitary headpiece with which to brush the teeth each'time such brushing is required.v

Another object of the invention is to provide in aitooth cleaningdevice, a handle having a head portion, and a cleaning unit adapted tobe slipped over the head portion of the handle and secured thereto in anovel manner whereby it may be easily and quickly attached or detached.

The invention broadly contemplates the provision of a handle body havinga head portion and having a slot in the handle adjacent the headportion, with a cloth cap or cover member designed to be slipped-overthe head portion of the handle and having an end extension or tail 0forinsertion through the slot of the handle for binding engagementtherein to retain the cap in place while in use.

taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of thisspecification, with the understanding, however, that the invention isnot to be confined to any strict conformity with the showing of thedrawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes'ormodifications mark no material departure from the salient features ofthe invention as expressed in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the tooth cleaner embodying thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device, showing, the side oppositefrom that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the handle, per se.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the brushing portion of the device.

Referring now more particularly to the draw- I ing, the numeral Igenerally designates the handle portion of the tooth cleaning deviceembodying the present invention which comprises the elongated section 2which is held in the hand and the head portion 3 over which the toothcleaning cap is mounted. This handle may be formed of metal or any othersuitable material which will withstand boiling or other sterilizingprocesses and is provided adjacent the inner end of the 4, the narrow orcrotch portion of which is head portion 3 with the tapered or wedge likeslot directed toward the head 3, as shown.

The numeral 5 generally designates the cap which is placed over the head3 and with which the cleaning operation of the teeth is performed. Thiscap is in the form of a stall or pouch, being of elongated design andhaving the top portion 6 and'the under or working portion ors-urface Iwith .the said portion {extended at the end where the opening 8 isformed to provide the tail portion 9. The cap may be formed of anysuitable fabric material and the surface or face portion 1 may beroughened or otherwise suitably cap will be prevented from coming ofi ofthe handle head. The device may then be used by brushing the teeth withthe cap and after the brushing or cleansing operation has beencompleted, the cap removed and either boiled so as to be made sterilefor subsequent usecr it may be discarded and a complete new or clean andsterile cap applied the next time the brush is to be used.

As a convenience in cleaning between the teeth, particularly fordislodging particles of food which may be secured between the teeth, theend of the handle remote from the head portion 3 may be tapered orpointed as shown, to serve in the nature of a tooth pick, such pointedend being indicated generally by the numeral I0.

I claim:

A toothbrush of the character described, comprising an elongated flatbody constitutinga handle, said body having a wedge slot formedtherethrough inwardly of one end and having the point of said slotdirected toward the said end, the portion of said body between said slotand the adja- .cent end of the body constituting a'fiat solid head, abrushing unit for attachment to said head comprising an elongatedstall-like body of fabric ma-.

the slot and drawn toward the adjacent head .to-

be wedged in thelnarrow end of the slot.

MADISON OTEY BURKE.

